1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a portable, self contained feeding table which is useful to convert existing pile fed paper folding machines to continuous feed.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Paper folding machines are well known in the art, with most of those currently available employing a feed board which carries a stacked pile of paper sheets to be folded by the folding machine, the feed board being elevated to bring the top of the stack to a location for pick off and introduction into the machine for folding. The use of a feed board restricts the quantity of sheets in the stacked pile of paper sheets to be folded, and frequent stoppage of the machine for replenishment of the pile is necessary, which greatly increases the time required to fold a quantity of paper which adds to the cost.
Various conveyors having endless belts advancing along a horizontal table have heretofore been proposed, but these are not suitable for use as a self contained feeder table for conversion of existing pile fed paper folding machines.
Eller et al., in U.S. Pat. No. 3,513,625 shows an interleaving system for sheet material stacking apparatus which includes a flat table having parallel belts. The sheets S have sheets P of protective material interleaved and thereafter are stacked. The sheets S are supplied to the belts 26 at the left end of FIG. 1, and advanced along the belts 98. The sheets P, supplied from a roll 38 are severed by knives 108 and 109 and are delivered to the right ends of the belts 98 to mate with the sheets S.
A light source 195 and photo-sensitive element adjacent thereto detect the leading edge S1 of a sheet S, to activate the nip rolls 102 and 103 to advance a strip P for subsequent cutting, the actuation of the cutter roll 106 being controlled by passage of the trailing edge S-2, reestablishment of the light beam B and activation of the light sensitive elements.
Eller et al. does not suggest a portable self-contained feeder table useful to convert presently existing pile fed paper folding machines to continuous feed.
Morine, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,474,893 shows a portable self contained horizontal conveyor for bakeries and the like, which is not suitable for the same character of use as the feeder table of the present invention, since it lacks a side guide for the paper to be advanced, which is adjustable for width, which is not adjustable as to height to accommodate different paper folding machines, which does not have any shut-off provisions in the event of failure of paper supply, and which does not otherwise guide and control the advance of the paper to be folded.
Bromberg, in U.S. Pat. No. 2,926,907 shows apparatus for folding and handling newspapers and the like, which has an elevated hopper 48 for receiving a stack of newspapers, which are advanced downwardly around a drum 45, and also around a smaller drum and onto a wide belt 61, for transfer by suction cups 73a onto a belt 82. No height varying provisions are available in Bromberg, no delivery of fanned paper sheets to a paper folding machine, and no detector member for detecting and controlling the feeding of fanned paper sheets.
The apparatus of my invention converts a pile fed paper folding machine into a continuous feed machine providing many advantages not found in the prior art.